From the first dial-up modems to the rise of modern broadband, the very act of connecting to the internet has gone through many radical changes. The days of dial-up are long gone, and broadband internet is the order of the day. However, not all high speed connections are created equal. Home-office businesses that rely solely on their internet connection for general web use, will likely find the speed and reliability they need with standard DSL and Cable services. But small businesses, with multiple employees accessing a network simultaneously, will want to consider the advantages of a T1 internet connection. T1 now means any data circuit that runs at the original 1.544Mbit/s line rate, so it delivers a more reliable high speed connection than other options. Plus, the fact you can easily bond them for increased speed produces the flexibility, strength and versatility in data connectivity that is so important to a successful business today.
The Basics of T1 Technology
The foundations of T1 technology can be traced back to Bell Industries, and the innovations in telephone services that allowed multiple calls to be transmitted via a single wire. This marked the end of party lines, and the beginning of the global telecommunications network which we enjoy today. During the computer boom of the 1980’s and 1990’s, this technology was put to use transmitting large amounts of digital information between major commercial sites. However, the high costs of T1 service at the time made its use fairly exclusive to large corporations and businesses. But advances in technology, along with the deregulation of the telecommunications industry, pushed costs down and made T1 technology more accessible to offices and businesses across the country.
A T1 connection is made using two pairs of ordinary telephone wires. These are the same type of telephone wires installed in nearly every construction project in the country, and are maintained by regional telephone companies. While it may at first seem counter intuitive to rely on older technology for your internet service, consider one of the major advantages. The infrastructure is already present and available, and reaches further than any other broadband technology. This is a major advantage for businesses in rural or industrial areas where DSL and cable have yet to make substantial inroads.
What can T1 Offer Your Business?
A T1 connection offers many features that make it invaluable for larger businesses and offices. T1 technology provides businesses with their own dedicated circuit, bringing an unwavering upload capacity that companies can rely on. Conversely, cable and DSL employ shared circuits, which are plagued by continual fluctuations in both upload and download speeds. In real terms, this means that offices with multiple employees accessing the internet simultaneously will not experience any delays, or interruptions, in their data stream when using a T1 connection. This kind of multiple user stability is not possible with standard DSL or cable. For a business whose success depends on steady and consistent internet connections, T1 or higher speeds are the only technologies that can provide the connectivity they need.
While DSL, cable and T1 all fall under the general umbrella of high speed broadband services, only the T1 connection can consistently handle multiple channels of data. T1 technology provides 24 data channels, each of which can be assigned a specific task. For example, a company that maintains a phone bank as well as a computer network might assign 16 channels to data streaming, and dedicate the remaining 8 channels to telecommunications. This is the kind of flexibility that businesses and offices depend on for their day to day operations, and it is not available with either DSL or cable.
In short, T1 technology provides the level of internet access businesses demand, and can do so at a cost that makes sense. A T1 connection offers the flexibility, versatility and reliability that DSL and cable have yet to achieve. For businesses that rely heavily on their networking and internet capabilities for success, T1 technology offers an elegant solution to their computing needs.